Community comes through for Aliyah's birthday

BIRTHDAY GIRL: Little Aliyah Stammers is thrilled with her birthday cake, hand-baked by a member of the community.

A quick post on Facebook and a big-hearted Carterton community has ensured Aliyah Stammers had a birthday to remember.

Last week was a momentous one for little Aliyah -- she turned five on October 19 and had her first day at South End School.

But her milestone birthday was to begin like any other day: with her family experiencing financial hardship, her parents were unable to spoil her with presents, a cake, or a party with friends.

Determined not to let her daughter's special day pass by unnoticed, Aliyah's mum Tarsh Stammers and aunt Patricia Goffe reached out via social media, asking if "there was any kind person in Carterton that would be willing to donate a little girl a [birthday] present" on the Wanted, Free or For Sale in the Wairarapa Facebook page.

That was Monday morning -- and, by 3pm, Aliyah's lounge room was filled with fairy costumes, Dora the Explorer merchandise, colouring books, clothes and sweet treats -- including a home-baked birthday cupcake -- all donated by members of the community.

Tarsh , who said she had been "really struggling" with money of late, was unsure what to expect when Patricia made the Facebook post.

"But it just went viral.

"We thought maybe people would think it was a joke -- but everyone came together and helped us out.

"I couldn't ask for a better community to be part of."

Patricia posted in the "Wanted" group at about 11am, and didn't have long to wait before the offers of dolls and prams, loom band sets and lollies for "the little princess" started pouring in.

If people couldn't offer a present, they offered their support -- with the post eventually getting 216 likes and over 300 comments by the end of the week.

The offers were still trickling in when Midweek spoke to Tarsh and Patricia on Thursday -- with Leanne Brown of Wallowing Heights gifting her family free entry, and another member of the community offering to organise a party for Aliyah and her friends.

Tarsh said the bulk of Aliyah's presents were Dora the Explorer-themed activities and books, and artistic supplies, as she "loves to draw and create" -- as well as tickets to Regent 3.

People also dropped off food; party hats, balloons and bunting to decorate the lounge; and a birthday cake covered in pink butterflies.

"None of the people coming with presents were people who knew us," Tarsh said.

"A few people I recognised by face, but they were mainly strangers."

Aunt Patricia later posted photos to Facebook, showing a delighted girl tearing open her presents, twirling in her new purple fairy outfit, and getting icing on her nose while demolishing her cake.

"You should have seen the look on her face when she walked in the door -- she was ecstatic," Tarsh said.

She and Patricia plan to set up their own Facebook page, collecting donations of presents for Wairarapa children from needy families.

"If we could get this kind of response for one child, imagine what we can do for the rest of the community?"